Just imagine an entertainment attraction where the 'exhibits' are so realistic that they are almost alive... a cheeky elephant who likes grabbing people, Spiderman bowing down to you, and a dreamy place where your kids can float down a serene river in a giant paper boat!
Such a place exists in Singapore. It's the the Korean 4D entertainment attraction -- Alive Museum -- which recently opened its doors to the public, promising its visitors thrilling visuals you can both see and touch!
I love visiting museums. However I don't always take my little ones along as they tend to get bored because most museums are not really interactive -- you can look at the exhibits but can't touch them.
But Alive Museum is different. Visitors are actually encouraged to interact with and enjoy the unique, hand-painted exhibits.
So as you can imagine, I was really looking forward to visit Alive Museum with my kids because I knew they would love it too.
What is Alive Museum?
Alive Museum is a 4D visual illusion entertainment attraction the whole family can enjoy, and the world's largest chain of such an entertainment concept.
This interactive attraction houses art pieces that are a play on optical illusions with the clever use of painting, shading and drawing techniques.
Visitors both young and old can have a fun-filled time touching, feeling and even getting into the frame and being part of the more than 80 visually stunning masterpieces that are sure to trick the eye.
Some of these art pieces you will 'experience' at Alive Museum are locally themed and exclusive to Singapore.
Alive Museum was first opened in South Korea in 2009 and since then has opened 15 museums around the world with Singapore being the latest.
The Singapore branch is the biggest 4D attraction here covering 10,000 sq ft, and also boasts the largest collection of locally themed art pieces.
Something that will no doubt catch your eye when entering the Alive Museum is the artwork. Apart from the obvious fact that they are all optical illusions, you will also notice that they are beautifully painted.
Upon inquiring, I found out that all the art pieces are hand painted by Alive Museum's own team of amazingly talented artists from South Korea. They follow precise measurements and standards to ensure visitors have an outstanding experience.
What kind of 'art pieces' can you expect to see at Alive Museum?
One of the the first exhibits you'll see upon entering Alive Museum will be the angel wings (above).
This extremely cleverly painted art piece falls under the 'dimensional' Art genre which tricks your eyes to stimulate your mind into seeing both illusion and reality at the same time.
You will also be able to experiences genres such as:
- Digital Art -- exclusively available at Alive Museum -- and which bring forth cutting-edge technology coupled with various art elements;
- Object Art you have got to touch to believe what you see. The various sculptures and installations (such as the paper boat below) will challenge your senses; and
- Experimental Art, which combines new technology with digital art concepts so that visitors can actively interact with one another.
A lot of fun for the whole family
My kids had a wonderful time at the Alive museum and there wasn't one exhibit that they bypassed! Both my 6-year-old and her 5-year old friend were extremely curious about each and every art piece and wanted to try each one out.
My daughter's favourites were the paper boat and the mirror room where she, her friend and my 2.5-year-old had a ball dancing around in.
But the kids were not the only ones who had a great time -- we adults had an amazing time too.
As much as the Alive Museum is awe-inspiring in terms of the artfully thrilling exhibits, it brought out the kids in us as we found ourselves posing for funny pictures and having plenty of laughs through it all!
You'll also be pleased to know that special exhibits are held during major holiday seasons... so with Christmas around the corner, it's certainly worth a visit.
Talking about Christmas, Alive Museum will be having a special thrilling feature of the Penguins of Madagascar especially for the kids during school holidays!
So mums and dads, if you are looking for a place your whole family can enjoy and take plenty of amazing pictures to preserve those memories for a lifetime, you now know where to go!
Important information
Location: Suntec City Mall #03-372 (Between Towers 3 and 4)
Ticket Prices: $25 (13 years and above); $20 (Children 3-12 yrs); $60 (2 Adults + 1 child package)
Operating Hours: 10am – 10pm on Sunday to Thursday (last Admission at 9pm) and 10am – 11pm on Friday and Saturday (last Admission at 10pm).
You can purchase tickets at the front desk, or online.
We hope we have convinced you to check out Alive Museum! If you have already been there, please leave a comment below letting us know your thoughts about it.